MANILA, Philippines – Defending Wimbledon champ Barbora Krejčíková praised Alex Eala, saying she sees her as part of the future star lineup in tennis.
On Tuesday, Krejcikova had to recover from a tough first set loss before defeating the determined Eala with a score of 3–6, 6–2, 6–1 to move into the second round.
READ: Alex Eala suffers defeat against Barbora Krejcikova in her first appearance at Wimbledon
The 16th-ranked player globally from the Czech Republic had high commendations for the Philippine-born tennis star following their challenging opening round match.
"I think I should begin by crediting Alex. Honestly, how incredible was her performance in the first set? She was hitting the ball powerfully and placing it right on the lines—it was just amazing," Krejcikova remarked after securing the victory.
Eala came back from a 1-2 disadvantage in the first set, but Krejcikova then showed her championship spirit, taking control for the remainder of the match and winning the final two sets convincingly.
Eala continues to seek her inaugural victory in the main draw of a women’s Grand Slam singles event following yet another early departure, mirroring her loss in the opening round at the French Open earlier this year.
However, Krejcikova envisions a promising future for the 20-year-old.
"Wow, here comes the next generation. She's going to rise up and become truly great in just a few years. First off, major praise—major recognition—to her," she remarked.
Ranked world number 56, Eala had only finished as the runner-up at the Eastbourne Open just three days earlier, suffering a tough defeat against Australia’s Maya Joint in an intense final that went to three sets.
Krejcikova pulled out of the WTA 250 event because of a thigh problem. This comes as she makes her comeback following a shoulder injury that caused her to miss the opening half of the year.
On Wednesday, Eala will compete alongside her partner from Germany, Eva Lys, at the Wimbledon doubles event. They're set to take on Olga Danilovic and Anastasia Potapova in their opening match of the tournament.